Stenciling apparatus



Feb; 24,'"1953 H. A. GATTUso :3Q-629,321

` STENCILING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1950 lheets-Sheet 2 mvENToOR` ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1953 H, A, GATTUSQ 2,629,321

sTENcILING APPARATUS Y Filed Jan. :5o. 195o .vssneets-sneet' ff Lgf if; f 67/ will {7} INVENTOR #YMMPM ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 24, `1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,629,321 s'rENcILING APPARATUS Henry Andrew Gattuso, Adams, Mass.

Application January 30, 1950, Serial No. 141,323

1 Claim. l

The present invention relates to a stenciling apparatus particularly designed for marking, lettering, or decorating curved surfaces of cylindrical articles or the like, wherein the curved surface of the article is maintained in tangential rolling line contact with the stencil screen, while ink or paint is forced through the stencil by the action of a squeegee.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simplified and improved apparatus, wherein cylindrical articles may be rapidly, easily, and efficiently marked as desired, by use of a stencil screen. Another object of this invention is to provide a suitable work support which may be adjusted to receive work articles of a wide range of diameters.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and `the following specification which relate 'to one embodiment of the present invention. Variations thereof falling within the scope of the appended claim will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

`In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus.

Eig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view to show the channel in which the'screen carrier rides.

Fig.) 5 is a view on line 5-'5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the work support.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show several details of the Work support.

The invention herein described, in general, provides an improved stenciling apparatus for the marking of the curved surface of cylindrical objects. The work is placed upon a support, consisting essentially of stationary rollers, such that the curved surface to be marked may be brought in tangential rolling contact with the underside of a stenciling screen which forms the bottomside of an ink trough. As the ink trough is moved in a direction tangential to the curvature of the work, the friction between the screen and the work causes it to rotate on its own axis. A stationary rubber squeegee, bearing on the line of contact between the screen and cylinder, causes the ink to pass through the previously designed portions of the screen and onto the work.

The present apparatus comprises a base I0, a pair of parallel frame elements I I secured to the base, a slidable screen carrier I2, carried by the frame elements II and slidable in its own plane.

and a work support I3 pivotally carried by the frame elements II for movement from :a lower work receiving position to the upper position in which the work engages the lower faceof the screen, and a squeegee and squeegee holder unit I4 carried by the frame elements Il.

Each of the frame elements II will be seen to comprise a pair of feet I5 which permit of the adequate securement of the frame elements to the base ID. Several cross rods I6 are also employed for generally imparting to the assembly the desired degree of rigidity. The frame members II will be seen to comprise main body portions I1 which are integral with the feet I5. For the purpose of facilitating the present description we may speak of the upper portion of each of the frame elements I I as constituting a longitudinal bar I8 which extends the full length of the main body portions I'I and forwardly therefrom as shown. Each bar-like portion I8 has a channel I9 on its inner face extending its full length for receiving the Screen frame I2. The outer face of each bar-like portion I8 extends beyond the outer face of the main body portion I'I of the frame and is preferably machined. Each bar is also provided with a pair of elongated passages 22 as shown, with the solid portion 24 interposed between the adjacent ends of each pair of passages 22. At least one of the bars I8 carries a movable stop 26 in each of the passages 22, these serving as adjustable stops for the forward and rearward movements of the screen carrier I2. The stops 26 consist substantially of a threaded bolt 2I and a square nut 28 lodged within the channel I9, thus they may be firmly secured for any desired position within their respective passages. If desired, the one or the other of the stops 26 may be removed and the screen carrier I2 may then be entirely withdrawn from the machine for any desired purpose.

The screen carrier I2 may be described as a substantially rectangular or oblong cast iron frame, each side of the frame having an inverted L-shaped cross section. The carrier provides a rectangular frame facing downward which can receive the frame of the screen, and inwardly directed fianges 30 which serve as stops for the upper face of the screen frame. The screen carrier is provided with means for supporting it in the channels I9 of the frames I I. Any suitable or desirable means may be provided for this purpose. In the present form of the invention each longitudinal element of the screen carrier I2 is provided with a pair of integral cast bosses 32 having transverse passagesV 34` which receive the stubs 35 carrying rollers 36 which enter the channels I9. Set screws 31 are disposed in the upper faces of the bosses 32 for holding the stubs 35 securely in position. A pair of screws 38 are carried by the rear portion of the screen carrier I2 and serve to firmly secure the screen frame in position. The forward portion of the screen carrier I2 is provided with an integral cast handle portion 40 to facilitate the manual operation of the screen carrier I2.

The squeegee carrierv unit i4 consists essen`` tially of an inverted U-shaped casting which is pivotally mounted on the portions 24 of the bars I8 as shown. The portions 24 each carry a threaded bolt 44 having its threaded portion projecting exteriorly and having its head flush.

with the channel I9. The casting I4 is provided on the interior faces of the ends of the legs 42 with machined faces which engage the portions 24 on the bars IS. The threaded bolts 44 pass throughfthese portions-andreceive the wing nuts 45. Thus itwillv be seen that the squeegee carrier unitl I4L can be adjusted in any desired angular position with reference to the screen within the limits of approximately 90.

The horizontal bar 4E of the squeegee carrier has an integral downwardly extending plate like portion 47 having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the bar 45, thereby providing in thebar a forwardly overhanging portion i8 in front. of the plate Ll'I. The plate has a transverse' opening 49 which receives a headed bolt 50.

The squeegeeis` in the form of a rubber plate 5I having its lower edge 52 inclined downwardly and forwardly as shown. It is carried between ay pair of cooperating plates 53 and 5ft by a pair of screws 55 as shown. The plate 53 is provided with a vertical slot 555 which receives the bolt 58 and may thereby be' firmly secured to the squeegee carrier unit i4. It will be seen that the upper edge of the plate 53 is disposed below the lower edge ofY the forward portion 48. The latter carries. a pair of screws 58 which bear upon the upper edge of plate 53' as 'shown and may be employedfor the purpose of adjusting thel positionof the squeegeeabout the bolt 58 as a center. This is sometimes necessitated by some slight irregularities in theY work.

It will be observed that the rubber squeegee 5I extends to the `extent of about half an inch belowtheY lower edge of the rigid squeegee plate 5.3- and' is disposed rearwardly thereof. The rubber sdueegee and squeegee plate thereby cooperate to form a` space or pocket for receiving ink.

The: structure thus far described provides for the translational movement of the printing screen -in its own plane. This is preferably in the present apparatus done manually. lit will be understood,l however, that if desired the screen carrier I2 with the screen may be reciprocated by a motor.

'-Ihe work support unit i3 is disposed below the screen carrier and is designed to facilitate the insertion and removal of the work. The work support unit I3 is also particularly designed to maintain the surface upon which the printing is to be done in substantial parallelism to the screen under all conditions and in all positions. Bythe aidV of such parallelism the quality of the print is maintained, by reason of the fact that differences in pressure are minimized or eliminated; The parallelism permits contact between .theirQrkand the screen-t9 be effectivealone the 4 entire line of contact at a single instant and it is desired to have the work exert substantial pressure against the screen such pressure is substantially uniform along the entire area of contact between the work and the screen.

The present work support unit is further 0rganized to provide for work over a wide range of diameters. The present Work support unit, therefore, can receive and the present apparatus can perform4 printing upon. cylindrical articles that may only be a fraction of an inch in diameter and it may also perform similar high quality printing upon cylindrical articles several inches in diameter.

The work support unit comprises a frame consisting of a pair of longitudinal bars B0 and a pair of cross members 6I and S2. The fronthalf of each bar' 60' is vsplit longitudinally as shown, thereby providing a passage 63 in each bar. The cross member 6I is mounted in the front end of the passages 53 and. is held in xed position therein by screws 64. A pair of sliders 66 is carried by each of bars 58. Each slider consists of a platelike main` body portion 61 having a pair of parallel flanges 58 extending therefrom. the flanges being spaced from each other the vertical dimension of the bars 68. The screw 68 passes through the passage 63 and threads into a threaded aperture in the platelike portion 5l of the slides. The screws 69 are movable along the passage S3 and serve to firmly secure the sliders 65 in any desired. position.

The upper portion 'i8 of the sliders are each provided with. several openings which receive the spindles 'I2 and permit the free rotation of such spindles. A pair of collars I4 is. carried by each spindle 12. The collars are slidable along the spindles and may be fixed in the desired position by means of set screws as. shown. Each collar has several diameters.

Thus by the adjustment of the sliders in the. passages 53', and by the selected location of the spindles in the. selected aperture Ilv and further by the selected adjustment of. the. collars. with reference to each other, the .work support unit may be adjusted. to receive work. ranging over a wide range of diameters.

The frame members I1 havev several holes 15 which selectively receive. the pins 18. carried by the rear ends of the; bars 60.. Further adjust.- ment is, therefore, provided by selectively mounting the rear end. of the work supportl unit inthe desired hole 1,6.

The work support unit I3 is preferably operated. by a foot pedal. For this purpose the. cross bar 6I carries av downwardly dependent bifurcated stud 88 which is pivotal on the: barBI, An op.-r erating bar 8|. is held by the stud 80 and extends rearwardly of the apparatus. Downwardly di.. rected operator 82 is. connected to the rear endof. the operating bar 8I- and is in turn. connected at` its. other end tothe pedal 84 through ahole. provided therefore inV the base I8.

The operating bar 8|. is supported.' at. aninter.- mediate point. to provide for thev adjustment of its vertical position within desired limits. For. this purpose the sleeve 85 is mounted on the. base I8 as shown. A bifurcated. stud 81 receives the bar 8l and is pinned thereto permitting pivotal movement of the bar 8I in the stud. The` stud 81 at its opposite end has a threaded rod which enters thesleeve. 86 and carries a. knurledfinteriorly threaded nut 88 which serves; as. an adjustable stop for the stud` 8'I.. l '1 Y Thusinaddition tothe adjustabledevi'c s pr? viously described and which include the sliders 66 and the other devices carried by such sliders the entire work supporting unit is also adjustable by means of the nut 88 and its associated devices.

I claim:

An apparatus of the class described, comprising a base plate, a pair of parallel members secured to said base plate, a screen carrier carried by the members for reciprocating movement in a plane parallel to the base, a work support disposed between the screen carrier and the base plate pivotally mounted at its rear end in said parallel members, an operating bar attached to the front of the work support and extending rearwardly between the base plate andwork support for operation by a pedal, a stud pivotally attached to said operating bar at a point inter- REFERENCE-'S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,687,086 Beck Oct. 9,l 1928 2,111,207 Denelsbeck Mar. 15, 1938 2,301,119 `Holbrook Nov. 3, 1942 2,356,951 Runton Aug. 29, 1944 2,498,917 Gattuso Feb. 28, 1950 

